Thrilling lineup to feature three national tour launches, straight-from-Broadway debuts, sensational season options and more
Community Contributor
Ron Legler, president of the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center, home of Baltimore’s historic Hippodrome Theatre, is proud to announce the new 2025/2026 Hippodrome Broadway Series presented by CareFirst® BlueCross BlueShield.
The season kicks off in September with the North American tour launch of the hit Broadway musical WATER FOR ELEPHANTS. Based on the critically acclaimed, best-selling novel of the same title, Water for Elephants tells the story of a young man who jumps a moving train, unsure of where the road will take him, resulting in a new home, life—and love—beyond his wildest dreams.
On the heels of Water for Elephants comes the new highly anticipated North American tour launch of Cameron Mackintosh’s legendary production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA in November. The revitalized production features the brilliant original design, and was rapturously received by London critics when it reopened at His Majesty's Theatre in 2021. The Phantom of the Opera is widely considered one of the most beautiful and spectacular productions in history, playing to more than 160 million people in 47 territories and 195 cities in 21 languages.
Welcoming the holidays is the first season option, Dr. Seuss’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL, a record-setting Broadway sensation featuring the hit songs “You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch” and “Welcome Christmas” from the original animated special. Max the dog narrates as the mean and scheming Grinch, whose heart is “two sizes too small,” decides to steal Christmas away from the holiday-loving Whos.
Closing out 2025 and continuing into 2026 is the Hippodrome Broadway Series’ second season option, WICKED. Baltimore’s most “popular” musical will return for the holiday season. From the first electrifying notes to the final breathtaking moment, Wicked—the untold true story of the Witches of Oz—transfixes audiences with its wildly inventive story.
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In January 2026 also comes Baltimore’s third North American tour launch for 2025/2026: THE GREAT GATSBY. Direct from Broadway, The Great Gatsby is the Tony Award-winning smash hit new musical based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic American novel. The epic story has landed on the Broadway musical stage for the first time ever, transporting audiences with a jazz- and pop-infused score and winning both Broadway.com and BroadwayWorld’s 2024 Audience Choice Awards for Favorite New Musical.
Coming March 2026 is the season’s final option, HADESTOWN. Winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, Hadestown intertwines two mythic tales—that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone. HADESTOWN is a haunting and hopeful theatrical experience that grabs audiences and never lets go.
Completing the 2025/2026 season is BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL, followed by KIMBERLY AKIMBO, SUFFS and A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL.
BACK TO THE FUTURE, the beloved cinematic classic turned award-winning Broadway musical, is adapted for the stage by the iconic film’s creators Bob Gale (Back to the Future trilogy) and Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) and directed by the Tony Award-winner John Rando with original music by multi-Grammy winners Alan Silvestri (Avengers: Endgame) and Glen Ballard (Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror”), alongside hit songs from the movie including “The Power of Love,” “Johnny B. Goode,” “Earth Angel” and “Back in Time.”
The 2023 Tony Award-winning best musical, KIMBERLY AKIMBO, is the five-time Tony Award-winning new musical that tells the tale of a sixteen-year-old forced to navigate family dysfunction, a rare genetic condition, her first crush… and possible felony charges. Ever the optimist, she is determined to find happiness against all odds and embark on a great adventure.
SUFFS, a straight-from-Broadway, Tony Award-winning production, shares the brilliant, passionate and funny story about American women who fought tirelessly for the right to vote. From the singular mind of history-making artist Shaina Taub, this “thrilling, inspiring and dazzlingly entertaining” (Variety) new musical boldly explores the triumphs and failures of a struggle for equality that’s far from over.
The final show of the season, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL, created in collaboration with Neil Diamond himself, is the uplifting story of how a kid from Brooklyn became a chartbusting, show-stopping American rock icon that is sure to delight.
The season’s three tour launches, Water for Elephants, The Phantom of the Opera and The Great Gatsby, are eligible for Maryland’s Theatrical Tax Credit Program established in 2022.
“At the Hippodrome, our daily promise to our patrons is to deliver the very best touring shows Broadway has to offer,” said Legler. “This upcoming season lineup is a testament to that promise, and we can’t wait to share the wonderful experience that’s in store with our dedicated subscribers and other supporters!”
The Hippodrome’s seven-show 2025/2026 subscription package includes:
Season options include:
Current subscribers are invited to renew their subscriptions starting now and received an email with more information. Patrons seeking new seven-show subscriptions for the Hippodrome’s upcoming season can join the Hippodrome’s waitlist to be among the first in line, with new packages going on sale in Spring 2025. The seven-show package prices begin at just $290.
Subscriptions are available:
Individual ticket on-sale dates will be announced throughout the year. Groups of 10 or more should contact [email protected] or call 888.451.5986.
Current subscribers will receive announcements via email. The Hippodrome Broadway Series offers an array of subscriber benefits, including:
In addition, subscribers can take advantage of Hippodrome Live special offers plus membership privileges to Broadway Across America, a national network of more than 48 North American cities where Broadway is presented. *Benefits may not apply to all shows.